Deputy Design Manager - Mechanical - Healthcare

Help Deliver a Next‑Generation R&D Campus

Laing O'Rourke is supporting the creation of a world‑class research and technology environment at the Ellison Institute of Technology (EIT) in Oxford - a highly collaborative campus blending laboratories, teaching spaces, clinical/innovation suites, and advanced workplace environments.

We're seeking a Deputy Design Manager with an Mechanical Engineering background to drive coordination and assurance across complex MEP systems and specialist lab infrastructure. If you're an experienced electrical engineer (or early‑stage design manager) ready to step into broader design leadership on a flagship UK science & technology project, this is your platform.

What You'll Do

Design Coordination & Technical Assurance

• Lead the coordination and review of electrical and MEP design packages for buildability, compliance, maintainability, and safety.
• Integrate specialist requirements typical of laboratories and research facilities (e.g., resilient power, life‑safety systems, containment, structured cabling/data, UPS/backup, controls integration).
• Track client, statutory, and contractual requirements and maintain robust design assurance records.

Programme, Delivery & Interfaces

• Develop design programmes, dependencies, and reporting—keeping multidisciplinary teams aligned to key milestones.
• Chair or contribute to design reviews, technical workshops, and interface meetings (architectural, structural, MEP, specialist vendors).
• Support onsite delivery: respond to technical queries (TQ/RFI), collaborate on QA, and enable commissioning and handover.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Contribute to risk and opportunity management for electrical and integrated building systems.
• Ensure alignment with statutory compliance and external assurance (e.g., Building Regulations, British Standards, HTMs/ISO where applicable).
• Evidence compliance with Laing O'Rourke governance, procedures, and digital tools.

People & Collaboration

• Partner with the Design Manager to drive project‑wide design strategy.
• Coach and support apprentices/trainees/graduate design managers and foster a collaborative culture with consultants and specialist supply chain partners.

What You'll Bring

Qualifications (Recommended)

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering (or closely related discipline).
• Chartered or working towards chartership with a recognised professional body.

Experience & Mindset

• Multidisciplinary design coordination experience; comfortable working with consultants and specialist subcontractors.
• Exposure to science/technology/healthcare or other complex building types is beneficial.
• Strong communicator who enjoys problem‑solving, structured planning, and stakeholder engagement.
• Digital‑first mindset; comfortable using modern design management and BIM‑enabled workflows.
• Commitment to safety, sustainability, and delivering high‑performance, future‑ready buildings.

Why Join This Project?

• Impact: Help deliver a cutting‑edge environment that accelerates research, teaching, and innovation.
• Growth: Step beyond single‑discipline engineering into end‑to‑end design leadership on a landmark UK project.
• Culture: A supportive team that values collaboration, innovation, continuous learning, and high performance.
• Flexibility: Hybrid working with time split across Oxford site offices and other LOR locations as needed.

Ready to make an impact?

Apply now and help us shape a transformative science & technology campus in Oxford.